Previously dedicated as a journal for my book project, the Round Table is an area where I'll be sharing lessons learned, take away messages, and engaging ideas during my MPH program at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. As always, the goal is to inform, challenge, and inspire. Use the side archive to find select titles.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

As a component to my Media Advocacy and Public Health course, I submitted a letter to the editor to the New Jersey Star Ledger regarding an editorial on HIV medication patent pools. I am glad to report that not only was it published but it was the featured letter in its own gray box. Below is a copy and paste of the Letter.

Jump into the pool

The Star-Ledger May 1 editorial “To save lives, Johnson & Johnson should jump into the patent pool” presents a challenging yet vital component in addressing the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. However, it misses one essential piece of the equation: Treatment saves lives and prevents infections.

A growing body of scientific literature demonstrates consistent HIV treatment is an evidence-based form of prevention and could be effective to achieve population-level reductions in new infections. One such study, across seven African countries, enrolled 3,408 HIV-positive individuals and their HIV-negative partners with results showing transmission was 92 percent less likely if the HIV-positive person was on treatment.

The science is clear: Treatment saves lives and prevents infections. However, 10 million eligible HIV-positive individuals worldwide do not have access to treatment — a million plus more than the entire population of New Jersey.

Johnson & Johnson already runs meaningful multimillion-dollar programs protecting the environment and deworming children in Cameroon. However, if it is true to its mission statement’s commitment to provide access to its products for people in need, it should follow the lead of others in the pharmaceutical industry and take a seat at the patent pool table.

Thank You

Thank you for visiting the Blog! Make sure you come back to read about the different cities and non-profits where I will be volunteering. Finally thank you for all the support and donations from family, friends, and mentors at Fairfield University.